Spectrum News: Lawmakers go food shopping to argue for higher SNAP benefits in New York

Read Article MAR. 27, 2024 BY JACK ARPEY, NEW YORK STATE Two state lawmakers are pushing to increase the minimum SNAP benefit in New York state, which presently sits at $23 per month. Syracuse area state Senator Rachel May and Queens Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas want to see that raised to $100 per month. To demonstrate why, they went shopping Wednesday in Albany to see just how much $23 a month can buy. While prices vary from store to store and community to community, the point was clear. They started out shopping for breakfast, and with only a handful of items in the shopping cart, they didn't make it even to lunch.

Spectrum News: New York advocates concerned about proposed cuts to food insecurity program

Read Article February 22, 2024 BY CASEY BORTNICK AND CAPITAL TONIGHT STAFF NEW YORK STATE Food assistance organizations across New York state have been seeing an uptick in the number of people in need of a helping hand. They often rely on resources like the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program, or HPNAP, and Nourish New York. But now, many advocates are concerned about proposed cuts to HPNAP. Dan Egan, executive director of Feeding New York State, joined Capital Tonight Wednesday to discuss the topic.

Spectrum News: Increase in SNAP benefits, free school meals gets bipartisan support from New York lawmakers

Read Article February 14, 2024 BY JACK ARPEY, NEW YORK STATE Advocates and lawmakers from both parties gathered at the New York state Capitol Wednesday to push for more funding to fight food insecurity. They're calling for increased funding for several programs designed to make it easier for New Yorkers in need to access healthy meals. “There should be no shame in needing help, having a program to supplement your grocery bill doesn’t signify and sense of failure,” said Whitley Hasty, benefits navigation coordinator at Foodlink in Rochester.

Spectrum News: Major Upstate New York food retailers, health advocates call for SNAP increase

Read Article JAN. 31, 2024 BY TIM WILLIAMS, NEW YORK STATE Health advocates and major upstate New York food retailers including Price Chopper and Tops Friendly Markets are calling for an increase in the SNAP program to combat food insecurity in the Empire State via letters sent to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Spectrum News: In show of bipartisan support, N.Y. lawmakers join advocates to push for universal free school meals

Read Article January 29, 2024 Advocates and lawmakers gathered at the New York State Capitol on Monday to rally for free school meals for every student in the state. Last year, expansions in eligibility at the federal level and state budget subsidies expanded the number of students who could take part, but the goal is to make free meals universal.

Troy Record: ‘Feeding New York State’ program reaches milestone

Read Article November 6, 2023 at 6:02 a.m.  NEW YORK — Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced Feeding New York State, the state association of New York’s 10 Feeding America member food banks, has reached the five-million-pound collection milestone as part of the ongoing implementation of the New York State Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law that reduces waste and climate-altering emissions caused by landfilling while providing quality food to New Yorkers in need.